This invention relates to mirror assemblies for vehicles and, more particularly, to improvements in the support apparatus for mirrors on vehicles which allow pivotal movement of such mirrors but minimize undesirable vibration thereof.
It has long been known to pivotally support a mirror on a base with a ball-and-socket type arrangement. The ball-and-socket joint allows pivotal movement of the mirror to provide a view of the reflected image in various positions.
A major drawback to the use of the basic ball-and-socket arrangement is found in the blurred images resultant when the mirror is supported thereby and subjected to severe vibration. Such conditions exist in prior known vehicular mirrors and are accented and magnified by larger, heavier mirrors required for adequate vision by modern safety standards. In this respect, prior-known mirror assemblies have typically supported a mirror from a central location on its back such that portions of the mirror extend outwardly and laterally in a cantilevered manner, from either side of the support. When subjected to road vibration and the like, such cantilevered support results in a large moment force about the support axis resulting in swinging, vibrational movement generally in the plane of the mirror. Consequently, the image on the mirror surface appears blurred and obstructed and is ofen difficult to use effectively.
Various arrangements have been devised to overcome such vibrational problems including structure supporting the ends of the elongated mirror, or complex, centrally located support apparatus having pivotal contact points spaced well away from the center of the mirror. However, such prior known devices have typically been difficult to adapt for use in remote control assemblies. They further have been complex and expensive to assemble and manufacture, especially for mass-produced mirror assemblies.